The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-02-05
ROBERT BURNS.

worthy of note-so much so, that as
great circle as the G.. l.. S. C. have
a plan for two hours work on ito
say nothing of the time it takes to get
ready for these two hours.
Robert Burns was born in Ayr,
Scotland. about l75S-lived a short
and varied life and died when only
thirty-fve. His father was a farmer,
who lived quiet life taking pains to
teach his two boys. He put into their
hands all the good books he could.
AT an early age Robert showed an
eager wish to study, and was sent to
the rural school where he could gain
only the first steps in Anglo Saxon;
later in life he was able to learn lit
tie French and Latin.
He read the few books he could get
with JOY. 1.-The life Of Hannibal y
made him wish to join the army so
much, that he would march up and
down the street to the beat of a drum
or the sound of the usual street music,
and wish to be tall enough TO 90. The
story of Wallace y added to this zeal
and he walked seven miles to pay his
homage TO Leglen Wood " with as
devour zeal as any pilgrim. II is
worthy of note that one of the books
he always liked best was copy of
Shakespeare's plays.
Burns says of himself: I'm my in
FAINT and boyish days too, | owed much
to an cid woman who resided in our
family, remarkable for her ignorance,
credulity and superstition. She had,
| suppose, the largest collection in the
country of tales and songs, concerning
deyils, ghosts. fairies, brownies, witch
cs, warlocks, spunkies, kclpies, elf
candles, dead lights, appariiions, gi-
ants, enchanted towers, and otLer
trumpery. This cultivated the latent
seeds of poetry; but had SO strong an
effect on my mind that to this hour in
my nocturnal rambles | sometimes
keep a sharp lookout in suspicious
places; and though nobody can be
more sceptical than am in such mat
tiers, yet it often takes an effort in phi
losophy TO shake off these idle terrors.
The earliest composition | recollect
taking pleasure in was "The Vision of
Mira" and a hymn Of Addison's be-
ginning, How are thy servants blest,
0, Lord ,"
AT the carly age Of ten and six he
began to write poetry trying to ex-
press in rhyme what he felt. These
poems were given to many friend of
his and came into the hands of per-
son Of like tastes who urged Burns to
allow them TO be put in print. He
had just had an offer TO 60 to Jamaca
TO take charge Of a farm and to pay
for his trip he sent his poems to the
office. He wrote friend, You will
see am going to commence poet in
print; tomorrow my works co to press.
! expect it will he volume of about
300 pages. 1t is just the last foolish
action | intend to do and tlen turn
wise man as fast as | can"
We know the result-fa fame was his
at once DIR. Blackjack asked him to
visit scarborough and tie trip to ia
maca was made to this city in place Of
that, and he was well met here by all
the social unions in this city He had
two hundred pounds for lis book and
for the next, seven hundred.
But his gain by this visit was more
than Offset by the habits which were
sure to impede his fame and bring him
an early grave. His rank among the
poets is not easy TO decide, though
Lord Byron and Allan Cunningham
place him among the first. They must
haye looked more ut what he gave
hopes Of being than what he was, but
it may safely be said that of all poets
who have sprung from the people hav-
ing almost no aid from any school, he
was surely The most great. He was
true poet and he wrote in simple,
easy style. He owed none of this force
or beauty to art.
His poems glow with tender words
and the love Of being free, and are rich
in a rare pure humor that none have
known how 10 copy.